Audrionna Rhoades, 21, told family she left the boy sleeping on a futon in her mobile home

A mother from Michigan has been charged with murder following the death of her two-year-old son from heatstroke after he was left in a minivan in 70 degree heat.

Audrionna Rhoads, 21, appeared upset during her arraignment for second degree murder and child negligent abuse, which carry a life sentence and a 15 year sentence respectively.

She was arrested yesterday after the body of her son James Nelson was found still buckled in to his car seat at 6pm on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Rhoades, from a trailer park in Shelby Township, Michigan, told her family that she left her son asleep on a futon in the
mobile home she shared with a roommate, who also was sleeping, as she
left for work.

But authorities believe she put the toddler in the car at 8.30am before driving another car off to work, meaning he was trapped for between 10 and 11 hours.

According to Shelby Township Police Chief Roland Woelkers, Rhoades worked weekdays and usually placed the boy in her car on the way to work.

The body was discovered by Johnny Rhoads, Audrionna's father, after a neighbour noticed the boy's foot through the car window.

Speaking to the Detroit Free Press, he said: 'I go down there, and he’s dead. He’s in the van, strapped in his frickin’ car seat, sopping wet, blue.

'My girlfriend tried CPR, but he was dead. The poor baby.'

Authorities believe two-year-old James was trapped in the car for 11 hours while his mother was at work

Mary Catenacci, Rhoads' grandmother (pictured right) comforts Marschelle Nelson, grandmother to James. Catenacci said Rhoads looked her in the eye and said she was not to blame

Audrionna's grandmother, Mary Catenacci said: '(Rhoades) looked me in the eye and said, "I did not put that baby in the car."'